The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 eBook

endued with great energy, rebuilt and fortified the
city of Baranasi at the command of Indra. The
territories of Divodasa were full of Brahmanas and
Kshatriyas, and abounded with Vaisyas and Sudras.
And they teemed with articles and provisions of every
kind, and were adorned with shops and marts swelling
with prosperity. Those territories, O best of
kings, stretched northwards from the banks of Ganga
to the southern banks of Gomati, and resembled a second
Amravati (the city of Indra). The Haihayas once
again, O Bharata, attacked that tiger among kings,
as he ruled his kingdom. The mighty king Divodasa
endued with great splendour, issuing out of his capital,
gave them battle. The engagement between the
two parties proved so fierce as to resemble the encounter
in days of old between the deities and the Asuras.
King Divodasa fought the enemy for a thousand days
at the end of which, having lost a number of followers
and animals, he became exceedingly distressed.[250]
King Divodasa, O monarch, having lost his army and
seeing his treasury exhausted, left his capital and
fled away. Repairing to the delightful retreat
of Bhardwaja endued with great wisdom the king, O
chastiser of foes joining his hands in reverence, sought
the Rishi’s protection. Beholding King
Divodasa before him, the eldest son of Vrihaspati,
viz., Bharadwaja of excellent conduct, who was
the monarch’s priest, said unto him, What is
the reason of thy coming here? Tell me everything,
O king. I shall do that which is agreeable to
thee, without any scruple.’

“The king said, ’O holy one, the sons
of Vitahavya have slain all the children and men of
my house. I only have escaped with life, totally
discomfited by the foe. I seek thy protection.
It behoveth thee, O holy one, to protect me with such
affection as thou hast for a disciple. Those
princes of sinful deeds have slaughtered my whole race,
leaving myself only alive.’

“Bhishma continued, ’Unto him who pleaded
so piteously, Bharadwaja of great energy said, Do
not fear! Do not fear! O son of Sudeva, let
thy fears be dispelled. I shall perform a sacrifice,
O monarch, in order that thou mayst have a son through
whom thou shalt be able to smite thousands upon thousands
of Vitahavya’s party. After this, the Rishi
performed a sacrifice with the object of bestowing
a son on Divodasa. As the result thereof, unto
Divodasa was born a son named Pratarddana. Immediately
on his birth he grew up like a boy of full three and
ten years and quickly mastered the entire Vedas and
the whole of arms. Aided by his Yoga powers,
Bharadwaja of great intelligence had entered into the
prince. Indeed, collecting all the energy that
occurs in the object of the universe, Bharadwaja put
them together in the body of prince Pratarddana.
Put on shining mail on his person and armed with the
bow, Pratarddana, his praises sung by bards and the
celestial Rishis, shone resplendent like the risen
star of day. Mounted on his car and with the scimitar